Leather and method of making it

ABSTRACT

A leather wherein the suede surface is formed by a large number of closely adjacent, needle-like penetrations extending into the leather from one or both surfaces and breaking the leather fibers and cells, the penetrations being of a depth to leave an unpenetrated leather layer of less thickness than that penetrated. A method of making suede leather by forming a plurality of rows of needle-like penetrations into at least one surface of the leather, and penetrating the forming of the penetrations after relative movement of the leather until the entire surface of the leather is roughened to suede-like appearance by closely adjacent penetrations.

United States Patent Statler LEATHER AND METHOD OF MAKING IT [75] Inventor: Lowell E. Statler, Bellevue, Ohio [73] Assignees: Frank F. Kovacs, Mayfield Village;

Edwin W. Oldham, Akron, both of. Ohio part interest to each 22 Filed: Jan. 21. 1972 211 App]. No.: 219,792

52 US. Cl. 69/21 511 1m. 01 C14b 1/44 [58] Field of Search 69/21 [56] References Cited UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 2,924,863 2/1960 Chavannes 69/21 UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 678,021 1/1964 Canada 69/21 6,425 0/1897 Great Britain 69/21 OTHER PUBLICATIONS American Leathers, page 54; American Leather Mar. 12, 1974 Producers, Inc., 1 Park Ave., N.Y.C., NY. (1929).

Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney, Agent, or FirmOldham & Oldham Co.

[57] ABSTRACT A leather wherein the suede surface is formed by a large number of closely adjacent, needle-like penetrations extending into the leather from one or both surfaces and breaking the leather fibers and cells, the penetrations being of a depth to leave an unpenetrated leather layer of less thickness than that penetrated.

A method of making suede leather by forming a plurality of rows of needle-like penetrations into at least one surface of the leather, and penetrating the forming of the penetrations after relative movement of the leather until the entire surface of the leather is roughened to suede-like appearance by closely adjacent penetrations.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures akrssL-oss PATENTEBIIAR 12 m4 sun-1t 1 0F 2 PATENTEBIIAR 1 2 m4 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.6

LEATHER AND METHOD OF MAKING IT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I-Ieretofore leather been made by buffing one or both leather surfaces to a suede-like appearance. But the buffed surface is only skin deepand will wear off. The fibers and cells of the body proper of leather are not changed, and are not'freely flexible. Additionally, the buffed suede leather does not wash well, tending to distort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A leather having a surface formed on and into the body of the leather by more than about 500 per square inch of very closely adjacent needle-like penetrations into and through the fibers and cells of the leather a distance to leave a layer of undisturbed leather of less thickness than the penetrations. In terms of method, the leather is made by simultaneously forming a plurality of the penetrations into at least one surface of the leather relatively moving the leather, and repeating the simultaneous forming and relative moving until substantially the entire surface has been formed with the penetrations in very closely adjacent relation.

The general objects of the invention are to provide an improved, but inexpensive leather and a method of making it;

leather in which the suede finish is not just on the surface of the leather but extends down into the body as well giving much longer suede life; to provide a leather which is more flexible and which can be washed without distortion; to provide a leather in which the fibers and cells of the base leather are pulled apart, torn, cut, or disrupted to the depth of the penetrations; and to provide a leather in which a layer of leather is not penetrated, this layer being thinner than that penetrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged, fragmentary, diagramatic, vertical sectional view of a piece of leather treated from both sides in accord with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the leather formed from only one side;

FIG. 3 is a diagramatic, fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale showing one manner of performing penetrations in the leather;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the untreated leather and endeavoring to illustrate the fibers therein laying substantially parallel to the leather surface;

FIG. 5 is a diagramatic plan view of one embodiment of apparatus for performing the method of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged, vertical cross s'ec tional view showing a typical punching die employed in the apparatus of FIG. 5.

Having more detailed reference to the drawings, in FIG. 1 the numeral 10 indicates a piece of leather which has been formed with needle-like penetrations 12 from both surfaces of the leather, and leaving an unpenetrated layer 14 of leather which is thinner than the layers penetrated. More specifically, the unpenetrated layer is in one best known example about 0.01 inch 0.05 inch'thick.

The word penetrations has been selected-to best describe the opening 12. These have been shown in the drawings as holes with spaced walls. But in actual prac tice the penetrations are made by fine needles, for example, of a size to fit snuggly in and be carried by a hole made with a No. (.040 inch) drill (See FIG. 6). Thus when these needles are punched into the leather surface and thereafter withdrawn there is no true punching action to make a punched out hole, but instead the fine needles distort or disrupt the leather fibers and cells with a wedging displacement action resulting in some tearing, cutting, or pulling apart. After the needles are withdrawn the walls of the penetrations may move back substantially into contact with each other.

FIG. 4 shows very diagramatically the leather fibers 16 extending through the leather 10 substantially parallel to the surfaces. These fibers 16 are notably distorted as above explained.

FIG. 1 shows in full lines only one set of penetrations 12. In actual practice, the set of penetrations is repeated and repeated, interspersed with relative movement of the leather, so that the penetrations 12 are positionedvery closely together, or overlap as hereinafter brought out. FIGS. 1 and 2 endeavor to show in dotted lines at the left side only of these figures some additional penetrations of subsequent sets of penetrations.

FIG. 3 better illustrates in plan view form the aforesaid operation. A set of six needles 'in three rows, spaced, for example, on A: inch centers, makes a first set of penetrations 12. The leather 10 is then moved relative to the'needles, and a second set of penetrations A is made. The operation is repeated and repeated with .enterspersed relative movement to make penetrations B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and .l. The result is with only three rows of needles on 4; inch (0.125 inch) centers and with 0.040 inch diameter needles that the penetrations are closely adjacent, over the entire surface of the leather. In the embodiment shown in FIG.- 3 the relative forward feed of the needles between penetrations is a needle width and the relative lateral feed is /a needle width to' effect the continuous cover shown. In FIG. 3, with only three rows of needles about 5 76 penetrations are made per square inch.

However, in a typical operation, a die as seen in FIG. 6 is provided with 20 rows of about 0.040 inch diameter needles on A; inch (0.125 inch) centers and extending the full width of the leather. The needles 18 are 1 1/16 inch long and are received in No. 60 drill holes in a hard plastic plate 20, for example, :4 inch thick, and the upper ends of the needles are peened over or otherwise fastened to the plate. The plate 20 is in turn supported on press head 38, hereinafter described. A 1 inch thick layer of sponge or foam rubber 21 surrounds the needles. In a needle penetration of the leather the foam layer 21 first engages the leather to hold it flat, the needles penetrate the foam and then the leather to the depth desired, and the foam assists in stripping the needles from the leather on needle withdrawal.

To obtain the configuration of FIG. 3 with three rows of needles and 700 press reciprocations per minute the leather would be fed forwardly about 28 inches per minute. However, with twenty rows of needles the number of penetrations over the surface would be increased over six fold, i.e., to between about 2500 and about 4500 per square inch. However, at least some of the advantages of the invention are retained with as low as 500 penetrations per square inch. Thus, the penetrations end up not only closely adjacent, but with multitudinous over lapping. The number of press reciprocations can be varied between about 300 and about 700 per minute. The relative longitudinal movement of the leather between penetrations can be varied between about two feet ot four feet per minute. And the'relative lateral movement of the leather between perforations can be varied between about one-tenth to threequarters needle width.

The result of the very large number of needle-like penetrations in multitudinous overlapping relationship is to distort and disrupt the fibers and cells of the leather to the depth of the penetrations to provide not only a fine suede surface to the leather but a suede fin ish into the body of the leather to the depth of the penetrations. 1

Returning to FIG. 2 of the drawings, this shows the leather provided with penetrations 12 from one side only of the leather and to a depth to leave an unpenetrated layer 14 of leather which is thinner than the penetrated layer, and normally between about 0.01 inch and about 0.015 inch thick.

A typical apparatus for performing the method of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. This includes a press plate or bed 22 over which passes the upper reach of an endless heavy rubberized fabric conveyor belt 24 supported at its turns by drums 26. One drum is driven by an electric 'motor 28 operating through a variable speed drive 30, and a variable friction clutch 32. A crank 34 adjusts the speed, and a crank 36 adjusts the clutch.

The bed 22 carries a reciprocating platen head 38 above the belt 24, and the vertical position of the head is adjusted by cranks 40 so that the extent of penetrathrough a speed changer 44, controlled by crank 46,

and a gear speed reducer 48.

The angle of relative lateral movement between the rows of needles l8 and the leather 10 is controlled by a crank 50 and screw mounting 52 which allows one end of head 38 to be adjusted longitudinally with relation to the bed 22 and belt 24. r 1 In the performance of the method, a piece of leather 10 is placed on the belt 24 and both motors 28 and 42 are started. The number of reciprocations per minute of the head 38 is adjusted by crank 46. On each downward reciprocation of the die as the foam rubber 21 engages with the leather and forces it flat against the conveyor belt 24 the clutch 32 begins to slip so that as the needles 18 penetrate and then are withdrawn from the leather 10 it remains stationary. The crank 34 of the speed changer 30 is adjusted, with some possible readjustment of clutch 32, so as to give a desired forward movement to the leather 10 each time the foam rubber 21 clears theleather. Crank 50 is adjusted to provide the desired lateral movement of the leather in relation to the needles 18. Cranks 34 and 50, controlling forward and lateral movement, respectively, of the leather, should be adjusted to effect the repeated penetrations of the needles 18 into the leather without the needles merely re-entering penetrations already made. Additionally, by tightening the clutch 32 up somewhat the leather 10 can be made to move forward slightly just as the needle points are removed from the leather to achieve a slight tearing action on the leather.

The method and apparatus described puts the penetrations into the leather from only one side, as shown in FIG. 2. To put the penetrations into both sides as seen in FIG. 1, the leather is run through the apparatus twice, first with one side up, and second, with the other side up. Cranks 40 are adjusted so that the extent of penetration of the needles leaves the unpenetrated layer 14 in the leather which is thinner than penetrated areas, and usually is between about 0.01 inch and about 0.05 inch. The unpenetrated layer adds strength and wind and water resistance to the treated leather but is sufficiently thin so that the suede is extremely flexible and can breathe, and yet can be washed without distorting it.

While in accord with the Patent Statutes, certain best known embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be limited thereto,

but is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. That method of processing leather which includes the steps of simultaneously forming a plurality of needle-like penetrationsinto at least one surface of the leather over an area thereof, relatively moving the leather, and repeating the simultaneous forming in substantially the same area and relative moving to gradually bring other portions of the leather into a forming area until substantially the entire surface of the leather has been formed with the needle-like penetrations.

.2. The method of claim 1 which includes the step of making some later formed needle-like penetrations overlap previously formed penetrations.

3. That method of making suede leather as in claim 2 where both longitudinal and lateral movement of the leather with relation to the penetration forming means is provided. a

4. The method of claim 1 which includes the steps of simultaneously forming the needle-like penetrations in a plurality of long rows over substantially the full width of the leather, effecting a relative movement of the leather after the first rows of penetrations have been formed so that the next rows of penetrations formed will just clear the first rows in a longitudinal direction and not be longitudinally aligned therewith, and adjusting the relative lateral movement so that only after a series of rows of penetrations have been made will the needle-like penetrations clear in a lateral direction.

5. That method of processing leather which includes the steps of simultaneously forming a plurality of nee die-like penetrations into at least one surface of the leather in a prick area thereof by a reciprocating prick plate,

shifting the relative positions of the leather and prick plate laterally, repeating the forming action in substantially the same prick area, and I controlling the relative positions of the leather and prick plate to form new needle-like penetrations primarily in between previously formed penetrations in the prick area. 6. That method of processing leather as in claim 5 including the steps of making the prick area extend the width of the leather, and moving the leather longitudinally of the prick plate to form new needle-like penetrations primarily in between previously formed penetrations in the prick area.

7. That method of processing leather as in claim 5 ining action in substantially the same prick area but cluding the steps of gradually bringing in other areas of the leather .to

shifting the relative positions of the leather and prick form needle-like penetrations over the entire surplate slightly both laterally and longitudinally beface thereof.

tween the forming action and repeating the form- 5 

1. That method of processing leather which includes the steps of simultaneously forming a plurality of needle-like penetrations into at least one surface of the leather over an area thereof, relatively moving the leather, and repeating the simultaneous forming in substantially the same area and relative moving to gradually bring other portions of the leather into a forming area until substantially the entire surface of the leather has been formed with the needle-like penetrations.
 2. The method of claim 1 which includes the step of making some later formed needle-like penetrations overlap previously formed penetrations.
 3. That method of making suede leather as in claim 2 where both longitudinal and lateral movement of the leather with relation to the penetration forming means is provided.
 4. The method of claim 1 which includes the steps of simultaneously forming the needle-like penetrations in a plurality of long rows over substantially the full width of the leather, effecting a relative movement of the leather after the first rows of penetrations have been formed so that the next rows of penetrations formed will just clear the first rows in a longitudinal direction and not be longitudinally aligned therewith, and adjusting the relative lateral movement so that only after a series of rows of penetrations have been made will the needle-like penetrations clear in a lateral direction.
 5. That method of processing leather which includes the steps of simultaneously forming a plurality of needle-like penetrations into at least one surface of the leather in a prick area thereof by a reciprocating prick plate, shifting the relative positions of the leather and prick plate laterally, repeating the forming action in substantially the same prick area, and controlling the relative positions of the leather and prick plate to form new needle-like penetrations primarily in between previously formed penetrations in the prick area.
 6. That method of processing leather as in claim 5 including the steps of making the prick area extend the width of the leather, and moving the leather longitudinally of the prick plate to form new needle-like penetrations primarily in between previously formed penetrations in the prick area.
 7. That method of processing leather as in claim 5 including the steps of shifting the relative positions of the leather and prick plate slightly both laterally and longitudinally between the forming action and repeating the forming action in substantially the same prick area but gradually bringing in other areas of the leather to form needle-like penetrations over the entire surface thereof. 